Me and You
by clemsongirl26
Summary: Tim Riggins returns home to lead the Dillon Panthers. He never expected his life would be forever changed by his new neighbor.
1. Chapter 1

Home.

Tim Riggins let out a sigh as he passed the sign welcoming him to Dillon, Texas. He was home for good this time. No more two or three day trips from Austin to see Billy, Mindy, and the kids. He would now be making his home in the one place he always swore he'd never come back to.

After helping Coach with the Lions that first year after high school, Tim realized just how much he missed playing football. So, with the help of Coach Taylor, he was able to walk on to the UT football team the next fall. After several weeks of learning the ropes, Tim Riggins began his college football career as a fullback.

Four years later, he was drafted to play for the Cowboys. His dream come true.

Until last season when he blew out his knee in the playoffs.

Now, here he was returning to Dillon, Texas to do a job he never imagined anyone would want him to do.

He, Tim Riggins, was the new head coach for the Dillon Panthers.

* * *

A new home.

Katie Jennings smiled as she passed the sign welcoming her to Dillon, Texas. After graduating from Texas A & M in May, she'd been looking for a job teaching elementary school. After just a few weeks, her best friend, Whitney, suggested Dillon. Whitney's husband, Brian, had grown up there. Both of them knew how important it was to Katie to get away from her parents and Dillon was the perfect place being nearly four hours from Austin.

So, here she was moving to this small town all on her own. She was excited about the fourth grade teaching position she would be starting in late August. Even more so, she was excited to be on her own away from the controlling people she called her parents. For once in her life, Katie Jennings was going to be her own person and make decisions for herself.

She, Katie Jennings, was ready for a new life.


	2. Chapter 2

Stepping into the house he'd grown up in, Tim couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He'd had some great times in this house. From partying with Billy and the Panthers to the nights he'd spent with Lyla, this house held some great memories for Tim. On the flip side, it also held some painful memories of Tim's parents and his inevitable breakup with Lyla, the one girl he'd loved in his life.

Shaking his head, Tim walked further into the house to his old room. Noticing how neat it was, he knew that Mindy must have come by and cleaned up for him. Placing his duffle bag on the bed, he stared around the room at the empty walls and shelves. After he'd moved to Austin all those years ago, Billy and Mindy had bought their own place and rented out the house. So, everything in it had been replaced including Tim's room.

It was for the better he presumed. He was now twenty-eight and he needed an adult room much like the one he'd had in Dallas at the townhouse he'd lived in for the five years he was on the team.

Tim decided now was as good a time as any to start unpacking his truck. So, he headed back outside and began pulling boxes from the bed of his brand new Chevy. A noise to his right caused him to pause as he lifted the second box. A smaller SUV pulled into the driveway next to his with a UHaul trailer attached.

Tim stood there as he waited for his new neighbors to climb out of the vehicle. He frowned when only the driver's door opened.

"Finally," he heard a feminine voice say before an excited squeal came from the other side of the SUV. Setting aside his box, Tim started to move towards his neighbors yard, but before he could take two steps an expensive Escalade pulled up and out stepped two people Tim had hoped he wouldn't have to see for a while.

"Katie! It's so good to see you, sweetheart!" Katie McCoy said as she ran forward to hug the woman, who was still out of Tim's sight.

"I still can't believe how grown up you are," Joe McCoy said with a smile as he walked towards the two women. Deciding that now was not a good time to introduce himself, Tim gathered his boxes and made his way back into his house.

* * *

"Aunt Katie, Uncle Joe, I can't thank you guys enough for helping me get this house," Katie gushed as they finished unloading her UHaul.

"Oh honey, you are so welcome. I'm just glad we could help you out. It surprised the devil out of me when your Mama called and said you were wanting to move to Dillon," Katie McCoy said as she unpacked a box of dishes in Katie's kitchen.

"I'm sure it did, but honestly I think this move is the best thing for me," Katie said as she handed Joe another screw for the entertainment center.

"Well, just remember Little Katie that we are here whenever you need us. I just hate that you're going to have Tim Riggins as your neighbor," Joe complained from his spot on the floor.

"Wait, Tim Riggins? The fullback for the Dallas Cowboys who injured his knee last year?" Katie asked with surprise in her voice.

"That's him," Joe answered. "His family owns the house next door and the boy just moved back in. I don't understand why he'd want to live in that dump when he could easily buy a new house or build one."

"Maybe he likes that house," Katie McCoy argued with a smile. "Anyway, sweetie, you call us anytime."

"I will," Katie answered with a smile.

"I'm thinking Alamo Freeze for dinner," Katie McCoy said.

"Definitely," Katie agreed.

* * *

Several hours later, Katie was putting the final touches on her bedroom when her doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock, she frowned when she saw that it was after nine. On the way to the door, she grabbed her baseball bat. Peeking through the peephole, she gasped when she saw a tall man standing there.

"Hi, I'm your new neighbor, Tim Riggins," the man said from the other side of the door. Letting out a sigh of relief, Katie placed the bat in the corner behind the door before opening the door.

"Hi, I'm Katie," she greeted as she reached out to shake his hand.

"It's nice to meet you," he drawled in his thick Texan accent. "I know it's late but I wanted to let you know that if you need anything just holler."

"Thanks, I appreciate that," she answered with a smile.

"Well I won't keep you," he replied before shooting her a dazzling smile. "Sleep well."

"You too," she called as he disappeared around the side of the house.

_Oh boy, _she thought, _I wonder if all the guys here look like that._

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd love to read your thoughts on the story so far!


	3. Chapter 3

Katie let out a deep sigh as she opened yet another box of her belongings. She'd spent the last three days unpacking and it was extremely tiring. She did have to smile, however, when she thought about her source of entertainment. Her super delicious neighbor had been walking around shirtless for the past three days. Just the day before, she'd had the extreme pleasure of watching him wash his truck in a pair of basketball shorts.

The sound of a knock at her door caused her to break out of her revelry. Bouncing up from her position on the floor, she jogged to the front door with her blonde ponytail swinging behind her. When she opened the door, her smile grew even more when she saw Tim Riggins standing on the other side of her door with a beatific smile on his face. In a pair of loose shorts and a backwards ball cap, he looked like the definition of sex.

"Mr. Riggins," Katie greeted with a smile. She watched as his hazel eyes grazed over her short frame. She blushed slightly when she realized she was dressed in only a tank top and a pair of short shorts.

"So, I was just about to cut my grass and I wanted to see if you would like for me to do yours while I'm at it?" he offered with a grin.

"Oh you don't have to do that," Katie answered.

"I know I don't have to, but while I'm at it I figured I'd just shoot over here and do what little bit of grass you have," Tim replied.

"That'd be great," Katie said with a smile.

"Awesome," Tim said. "Well I'll go get started."

"Okay," Katie replied while she watched him walk back to his yard. Deciding to keep the door open, she went back to unpacking her boxes. About twenty minutes later, the sound of the lawnmower got closer and Katie looked up to see Tim riding by her front door with a beer in his hand. She let out a laugh at the sight.

* * *

"All done, Ms. Jennings," Tim said from the other side of her front door. Katie's green eyes looked up from the cookbook she was going through to see the sexy, Adonis dripping sweat on the other side of her screen door.

"Thank you! How much do I owe you?" she asked coming over to the door.

"Not a thing," he replied.

"Come on, let me do something," she said. "How about dinner?"

"What are you cooking?" Tim asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was thinking Applebees," Katie laughed. "I don't really have any groceries yet."

Tim let out a laugh before answering her.

"Applebees sounds great. How about we meet out front in an hour?"

"Sounds good," Katie replied before shooting him a wink. Tim returned the wink and headed back to his house with a smile on his face.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to Anamia1 for reviewing! Also, thanks to those of you who have added this story to your alerts! I'd love some more reviews (hint hint)!


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh, Katie, I'm so glad you decided to come over today," Katie McCoy said with a big smile on her face as she let her niece into her home.

"Me too," Katie replied stepping inside.

"Joe's at work, so we have the house and pool to ourselves," the older woman said with a wink.

"I'm guessing that means you already have a picture of margaritas made?" Katie asked with a knowing smile.

"You know it!" the woman replied before walking out back to the pool. After pouring each of them a glass, they made themselves comfortable in the lounge chairs beside the pool. They chatted for a few minutes about how things were coming along in Katie's unpacking and decorating of her new house. Just as Katie took a sip of her margarita, her aunt blurted a question she was not expecting.

"Are you sleeping with Tim Riggins?"

Katie choked on her drink and began coughing. Katie McCoy's blue eyes widened at her goddaughter's reaction.

"What on earth makes you think that?" Katie asked after she regained her composure.

"Well I ran into Sydney Chambers at the grocery store and she said that she saw you and Tim Riggins at Applebees the other night. I've also heard that he's been cutting your lawn for you and he even cleaned out your gutters," the older woman said.

"Aunt Katie, he's just helping me out. As for the Applebees thing, I felt like I owed him something for cutting my lawn," Katie explained.

"Sweetheart, I don't have to tell you how men are. You've been around the block a time or two yourself," her aunt warned.

"I know, but this is different. We're just friends. It's nice having someone other than you and Uncle Joe to talk to around here," Katie admitted.

"Oh, honey, once school starts you'll make friends with all of the other teachers. Everyone in this town is going to love you. Besides, I'm not saying anything would be wrong if you were to sleep with Tim Riggins. Hell, if I was twenty-five years younger I'd give him a go myself."

"Aunt Katie!"

"What? He's gorgeous and that body is to die for," the older woman said with a smirk causing Katie to laugh. "So, there's nothing going on between you two?"

"No! Tim Riggins and I are just friends."

* * *

"How many times do I have to tell you, Billy? Katie Jennings and I are just friends," Tim explained as he watched his brother change the oil in his sister-in-law's car.

"Come on, Timmy, you can't fool me. I've heard the rumors," Billy said with a laugh.

"What rumors?" Tim asked with a frown before removing his sweaty Dillon Panthers hat.

"Mrs. White from across the street told Mindy's mom that you mowed Katie's lawn the other day, and she said that just yesterday you cleaned her gutters while she was at church."

"I'm just helping her out. Besides I didn't have anything else to do yesterday," Tim mumbled before taking a swig of his beer.

"Whatever, Tim. I've known you your whole life, and I've only seen you do this once before," Billy said.

"Oh really?" Tim questioned. "With who?"

"Lila," Billy answered smugly earning him a less than savory look from his younger brother.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Tim said before stomping out of the garage to his truck leaving his brother behind with a knowing smile on his face.

* * *

Later that night Katie paced behind her closed front door. She'd made a lasagna big enough to feed a family of six, and there was no way she was going to be able to eat all of it herself. So, now she was faced with a decision. Should she go over and invite Tim Riggins to come eat dinner with her? Or should she take him a plate? Or should she just forget about it?

After her aunt's warning earlier that day, she'd been quite concerned about the fact that people in this town were spreading rumors about her and her new neighbor like they were front page tabloid news. She knew that moving to a small town would cause some of that to happen, but she never expected to be the town scandal when there was no scandal to be had.

Twisting at the necklace around her neck, she stopped her pacing before making up her mind.

* * *

"Jennings, what do I owe this pleasure?" Tim asked as he opened the door to see his petite neighbor holding a baking dish in her hands and a picnic basket draped in the crock of her arm.

"I come with dinner," Katie answered with a smile. "I figured if we were going to be the talk of the town we might as well give them something to talk about."

"My kind of girl," Tim replied with a wide grin as he took the dish from her. Katie followed him inside where they began setting up the dinner she'd prepared in silence. After their plates were full and they were seated across from each other at Tim's bar, he spoke.

"Talk of the town, huh?"

"My godmother informed me that people were talking about us at the grocery store!" Katie said with smile. "Apparently you cutting my grass and cleaning out my gutters is reason to believe we're secretly having an affair."

"In this town a lot less has caused an affair," Tim said with a smile.

"Good God," Katie mumbled before taking a sip of her white wine. Tim chuckled at her before taking a sip of his wine as well.

"Tell you what, Jennings, we really shouldn't disappoint the people in this town by staying away from each other. Besides, I really like spending time with you," Tim said.

"I agree," Katie replied. "Besides, I don't really know anyone else."

"Well, consider me your best friend," Tim said when he noticed the slight blush on her cheeks.


End file.
